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Chapter Ten

Nico

I wasn’t scheduled for anything else today, which meant one thing: freedom. Sweet, beautiful, no-lube-needed freedom. No studio lights, no body oil, no terrible dialogue I had to deliver while holding a plank position.

I leaned against the front desk like I had nowhere better to be, which was a lie, but a cute one.

Petyr was scrolling on his phone, probably looking at tweets about union strikes or articles on OSHA violations.

Dimitri had a sudoku book open, pencil tapping against the counter like it was a metronome set to “mildly annoyed Russian.”

“Another thrilling day in adult entertainment customer service,” I said, grinning. “Tell me, gentlemen… when you dreamed of escaping Soviet oppression, is this what you pictured? Lube shipments and call sheet drama?”

Petyr snorted. “Back then, I dreamed of eating a sandwich without standing in a line for three hours.”

“Dream big,” I said.

Dimitri didn’t look up from his puzzle. “At least this job comes with free coffee. Even if it tastes like sadness and broken promises.”

I laughed. They were both like that—sharp, dry, impossible to rattle.

They were also disgustingly in love. It had been what, decades now?

Since before I was born, probably. Every time I caught them sneaking little glances at each other or making dirty old man jokes, part of me wanted to roll my eyes… but a bigger part of me just… wanted.

I wasn’t used to that feeling. Most of the time, I was perfectly fine just floating.

Hookups, jokes, nights on stage with a mic in my hand, making people laugh so they didn’t notice I was deflecting my loneliness like a human pinball machine.

Love was for other people. People with stable home lives and functional trust issues.

But watching Dimitri scribble in his sudoku while Petyr tilted his phone toward him to share some meme, and seeing the way they smiled at each other like it was all still new? Damn. I wanted that. Someday. Maybe.

If I didn’t die of sarcasm poisoning first.

I was about to say goodbye and head out when the phone on the desk rang.

Dimitri picked up, still holding his pencil like he was ready to stab something if this was another spam caller.

“Boys On Film, how can I direct your… oh. It’s you.

” His whole tone shifted. “Yes, sir. He’s standing right here.

” Then he held the receiver toward me like it was radioactive.

“It’s the boss.”

I blinked. “Jack?”

Dimitri nodded. “Da.”

I grabbed the phone, a little confused. Jack never called me directly unless it was about a scene. “Nico Steele, local legend, speaking.”

Jack’s voice crackled on the line. “Cute. Listen, I need you to come to the production meeting. Conference room. Ten minutes.”

I frowned. “Production meeting? Why? I’m not a producer. Or a director. Or even emotionally stable enough to be in that room.”

“You’ll understand when you get there,” Jack said. Then he hung up.

I lowered the phone slowly. “Well. That’s not ominous at all.”

“Good luck,” Petyr said, already back to doom scrolling.

Dimitri winked. “If there are bagels, bring me one.”

I headed toward the conference room, curiosity buzzing in my chest like a bad caffeine hit. This was weird. What did Jack want me there for? Was I in trouble? Was I getting fired? Promoted? Canceled?

Right as I turned the corner near the makeup suite, I almost collided with… oh no.

Bradley.

He was limping like a war survivor. Moving like every joint hurt. And his face… Jesus. The area around his eyebrows was an angry, blistering red. Like he’d lost a fight with a glue gun.

I winced in sympathy. “Dude… you okay?”

Bradley just shook his head, slow and defeated. His eyes were wide and glassy, like he’d just seen the face of God, and it was wearing a waxing apron.

“Eyebrows?” I guessed, nodding at his scorched forehead zone.

He gave me a barely there nod. His mouth opened like he wanted to speak, but no words came out.

I wanted to hug him. Which was new. Physical affection wasn’t usually my default setting.

But there was something about the way he looked right then.

Like a kicked puppy who’d been dumped in a rainstorm, that tugged at something soft in my chest.

Before I could act on the impulse, he mumbled, “I’m supposed to meet Jack and Liam for… something. A meeting.”

My ears perked up. “Me too. Come on, just follow me.”

Bradley hesitated, like he didn’t trust the universe anymore. Which was fair, but he limped after me, anyway.

And as we headed toward the conference room, side by side, something in my stomach did a weird little somersault. Like… anticipation. Or dread. Or… something else I couldn’t name yet.

Bradley shuffled next to me like a condemned man heading toward the firing squad. Every step looked like it hurt. Hell, even watching him walk hurt.

I kept glancing sideways at him, debating whether to put an arm around his shoulders. Would that be weird? Too much? Too soon? Probably. But… damn. The poor guy looked like he’d been through a full season of America’s Next Top Traumatized Porn Star.

We hit the hallway leading toward the conference room. Carpeted, quiet, the kind of corporate ambiance that screamed “free coffee and passive aggression.”

Bradley cleared his throat. “Do you… uh… do you know what this meeting’s about?”

I shook my head. “Nope. Jack was super evasive. Real ‘I’ll tell you when you get there’ energy. Like a horror movie, but with worse lighting.”

Bradley sighed. “Awesome.”

There was a beat of silence. Then, just loud enough for me to hear, he muttered, “Can’t even sit down…”

I glanced over. “Wait. Why?”

He stopped walking. Turned toward me. His eyes were shiny, like actual tears pooled up along the lower lids.

And in the most broken, betrayed voice imaginable, he said, “That crazy old lady… bleached my asshole.”

I froze. My brain short-circuited. Like, full system reboot.

My mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.

And then, before I could talk myself out of it, I opened my arms wide. “Oh, buddy… come here.”

Bradley didn’t even hesitate. He stepped right into my chest like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I wrapped him up in both arms, pulled him tight… and immediately regretted how hard I squeezed when he made a tiny, wounded noise and whispered, “Ow… my back…”

“Shit, sorry.” I loosened my grip fast, hands going soft on his shoulders. “Forgot about the… uh… full body trauma.”

We laughed, both of us quick and awkward, and then kept walking.

When we pushed open the conference room door, the full cast of characters were already mid-salad.

Laura, Liam, Jack, Nessa, and Moira were all sitting around like the judges’ panel on some adult industry version of Shark Tank.

Coffee cups were everywhere. Half-eaten chopped salads.

Nessa had her phone out like she was live-tweeting Bradley’s suffering.

Jack looked up first. “Grab some food and have a seat.”

There was a buffet spread along the back wall. Sandwiches. Fruit. A giant bowl of mixed greens that looked like sadness coated with dressing.

Bradley made a beeline for the farthest end of the table, keeping his distance from anything leafy.

I drifted behind him, watching the way Nessa’s eyes lit up when she spotted him. Like a cat that discovered a bird with a broken wing.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” I muttered under my breath. I parked myself next to him at the buffet line, close enough to block her line of attack.

Bradley hovered awkwardly over the food, looking like none of it made sense to him. Like he wasn’t sure if eating would make the pain better or worse.

Trying to cheer him up, I nudged his shoulder. “You know what helps after a traumatic cosmetic experience?”

He glanced at me, wary. “What?”

“Carbs. Lots and lots of carbs. Bagels are nature’s apology letter.”

That got him. A tiny, reluctant laugh broke out of him. Soft but real. His first actual smile since I’d seen him.

And wow.

Hearing that sound, God. It hit me right in the chest. Made me want to hear it again. Immediately.

So I kept going.

I grabbed a sandwich and held it up like I was a game show model showing off a prize. “This one’s got turkey and provolone. Full of healing properties. Also, I’m pretty sure eating it will reverse the psychological damage caused by Lola’s… services.”

Bradley’s laugh got a little louder. “Not sure that’s medically accurate.”

“Oh, I don’t do medical accuracy,” I said, grinning. “I do emotional support and poor decisions.”

He smiled down at the sandwich tongs like they were suddenly the funniest thing he’d ever seen.

We were still standing there, giggling over deli meats, when Jack cleared his throat.

Both of us turned toward the table.

Everyone—and I mean everyone—was staring at us.

Laura had one eyebrow raised, like she was mentally taking notes. Liam was biting back a smirk. Moira had gone into full gossip-mode, sipping her coffee slowly like she was watching a soap opera. And Nessa… Nessa looked like Christmas had come early.

Jack gave us a look that said, “Anytime, gentlemen.”

Sheepishly, Bradley and I grabbed our food and hustled to two empty chairs side by side.

As we sat down—Bradley gingerly, like every surface was made of hot coals—I stole one last glance at him.

He was still red around the eyebrows. Still moving like he needed medical leave. Still adorable in that whole wounded-animal sort of way.

I didn’t know what this meeting was about.

But I suddenly didn’t mind being here at all.

Jack cleared his throat again. “Alright. Let’s call this meeting to order…”

And with that, we were off.

Jack cleared his throat again, tapping a pen against the table like he was warming up for a TED Talk. “First off… Nico.”

I blinked. “Me?”